Trust
by M. Beth Tora
Summary: “How do I know you’re not lying?” “You don’t, you just need to trust me.” January thought for a moment before leaning back. Zim then held out his hand. Rated M for later chapters
1. Part One: The Alliance

**Part One: The Alliance**

It's been about six or seven years since January came to town. And it's been seven or eight years since Zim landed onto Earth. It hadn't taken January very long to figure out that Zim wasn't exactly from here. It never had really crossed her mind to actually interact with the Alien; Dib interacted with him enough as it was. But it wasn't until today that she "communicated" with Zim.

"You will be in Zim's 'study group', huuman," he said thrusting a gloved finger in front of the girl's face. January went cross-eyed to look at the digit.

"M'kay, it doesn't seem as though I have a choice in the matter," she said taking the appendage along with the hand and moving it away from her face.

"YES! You have no choice, little… huuman… THING!" Zim shouted before laughing evilly.

"Yes, yes. I am inferior to you and your mighty Irken race, Oh Great and Powerful Invader Zim," January said waving her hand dismissively as she got back to her reading. "And don't yell, we are in a library." The Irken looked perplexed as he watched the huuman girl read.

"HOW DO YOU-"

"Quiet please" the girl interrupted as she turned the page.

"How do you know about Zim?" he asked sitting in front of the girl.

"After you shouted about how you were part of the Irken armada, I decided to do some research. I found out everything I could about the Irken race; I even learned how to read and write in Irken. I have no plans on exposing you, nor do I have any plans on interfering with your mission to destroy the Earth. The people on this planet are arrogant and blissfully ignorant of how they themselves are helping to destroy this planet. You may not even need to do anything Zim," she said without looking up from her book.

"Whose side are you on?" Zim asked.

"The highest bidder. Who ever offers me more happiness and respect gets to have me," she said before bookmarking her place in the book and then closing it.

"How would you like to join me in my mission to destroy this planet? You could be my 'right hand man', as it were," he said leaning closer to the girl.

"Irkens have a tendency to use people and things to get what they want. How do I know you're not going to throw me away once you get what you want?" January said looking up at Zim, making eye contact.

"You don't, you just need to trust me. So long as you show me loyalty and follow my every command, I have no reason to throw you away," he said making sure not to look away from the intense stare.

"What do I get out of this partner ship?" she asked tapping her finger-tips together.

"Anything you want; riches, power, control, you name it, you probably can get it," Zim said with a smirk.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"You don't, you just need to trust me." January thought for a moment before leaning back. Zim then held out her hand.

"I know this is an international sign of agreement. Once we shake on it, you will be my… assistant," he said. She looked at the hand, looking to make sure that there are no traps or tricks. But eventually, she took his hand and shook it. "It's a deal."


	2. Part Two: Insecurity

**Part Two: Insecurity**

Zim hardly needed help when it came to studying. He finished all of his work during class. January wondered why he had asked her to be his "study buddy". The study group consisted of Zita, Dib and herself, along with Zim of course. It was also a wonder why Dib agreed to joining this "study group", seeing as he hated Zim with a passion. So more or less the studying was non-existent. January and Zita were the only ones who actually studying, Dib and Zim would just argue.

"Do you understand what the teacher was talking about in History? Because I am totally lost," January said looking at the homework assignment.

"I dunno, something about historical economics or something. Ask the guys, they finish their work early. Maybe they will let you copy their work," Zita suggested as she worked on her Math work.

"Dib, Zim, can you guys help me on History?" the girl asked looking at the other two, who just happened to be bickering. They stopped for a moment, both grabbing a piece of paper.

"Here," they both said handing her the papers and then going back to their argument. Dib's hand writing was horrible and Zim's work was in Irken, so it may take a while to translate.

"Err… thank… you?" she said as she started to read the notes the best she could.

"Well, that's not very helpful. Dib writes in code and Zim writes in a different language. Good luck with that," Zita said before going on to English.

"Gee, thanks," January said before beginning to decode Zim's notes.

After about 45 minuets, the girls finished their work; January finished History and Math, Zita finished everything except History and left quickly after. Zim and Dib were still fighting, but now it had gotten physical.

"Stupid Huuman! You will never win against the ALL MIGHTY ZIM!" the Irken shouted pointing his finger to the ceiling.

"I won't let you destroy the Earth, Zim!" Dib shouted back before throwing a punch, which was caught by a female hand.

"How about this, call it a truce for today and then continue this fight tomorrow during our next study session even though YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HELPING US," January said before pushing Dib's fist back towards his body.

"Now, I know that this rivalry has lasted about 7 ½ years, but seriously. If you weren't fighting so much, Zim could have taken over the Earth by now and Dib could have exposed Zim in the same amount of time. But you are wasting time and energy insulting each other in a very useless fashion," she said looking between the two.

"If the Dib-Butt didn't get in Zim's way, I could have been ruler already!" Zim shouted.

"Yes, but if you spent less time beating the living crud out of him, you could spend that time trying to figure out how to work around him," the girl said rolling her eyes.

"WHO'S SIDE ARE YOU ON?!" Dib shouted in annoyance.

"The highest bidder. And currently, Zim is the highest bidder," January answered flatly. Zim cackled as Dib's jaw dropped.

"Yes, Dib-worm! I have managed to manipulate one of your own to be MY FOLLOWER!!!" Zim said laughing evilly.

"That's just messed up! You're going against your own race?!" the boy questioned hysterically.

"Hey, even if Zim doesn't do anything, we're all doomed from global warming and pollution," January said shrugging. There was no come-back for that statement. But there was a statement none the less.

"How do you know he won't betray you?! Hm! Didn't think of that, did you?!" Dib asked pointing an accusing finger at her.

"I don't know. But the idea that I could be booted at anytime makes things more interesting and gives me motivation to try even harder," January said, suddenly feeling arms wrap around her shoulders possessively.

"See, Diblet? She does not fear the idea of being betrayed," Zim said resting his head on top of January's.

"He's using you!" Dib said in shock.

"Eh, not the first time I've been used. Besides, like you, I am fascinated by the paranormal, and what better way to learn more about it than to spend time with the paranormal?" She said as she relaxed a bit.

"You're going to regret this, January! He's going to hurt you and then throw you away," Dib said in all seriousness.

"Let's go, month-child. We have things to do," Zim said detaching himself from the human girl and taking her by the arm. He then lead her out of the building, Dib's calls of protest following behind them. January felt a pang of insecurity, but like Zim said, she just had to trust him. Chances were Dib was right, but she had to try. After all, trying and failing is better than not trying at all. But trying and succeeding is even better. So she just needed to try and succeed, or just try in general; hopefully it would be enough to get her through this.


	3. Part Three: Questions

**Part Three: Questions**

"How do I know you're not going to throw me away?" January asked looking at the Irken as they walked together. (Well, Zim more Goose-Stepped than walked, but whatever.)

"We went over this, you don't. You just need to trust me," Zim said as they began to approach the strange green house.

"I know, I know. But I'd like a little reassurance that you won't just up and dump me without a reason," she said as they went through the front gate. What it her, or were the lawn gnomes staring at her?

"I will keep you as long as I need you. I will more likely than not give you a reason," the Irken said as he more or less kicked the door open.

"You know you don't have to drag me, right?" January said, not really meaning to change topics, but her arm was starting to hurt. She was quickly released and the door was closed behind her. Before she could rub her arm, she was practically tackled by a blur of turquoise and grey.

"Hi, Pretty-Lady!" a squeal reached January's ears. She looked to find a very happy looking robot on her chest.

"Hello there small robotic creature," she said, not really knowing what to call the thing.

"That is GIR, he is my robot assistant, no matter how useless he is," Zim said as he removed his wig and contacts.

"Oh, hello Gir," she said getting up and holding the robot.

"What's your name, Pretty Lady?" Gir said bouncing in the girl's arms.

"My name is January," she said brushing her bangs to the side so she could see.

"Like the month?!" Gir screeched, shocking January.

"Gir! Stop annoying the month-child and go… play with your piggy or something," Zim commanded. The robot turned red and saluted before going back to his normal color and frolicking off.

"Okay… that was really weird…" she said before walking over to the Irken. She looked at him and drank in his appearance.

"You look amazing! I've never seen anyone or anything like you," January said circling him to get a good look at him.

"Yes, yes, Zim is very attractive and wonderful in any and everyway," the Irken said buffing is non-existent finger nails on his uniform.

"So… what exactly are we going to do, Zim?" the girl inquired, looking up at Zim. He thought for a moment, tapping his finger against his lip as he did so.

"I'm not sure quite yet… WHAT DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD DO, ERTH GIRL?!" he said pointing at the girl. She thought for a moment and shrugged.

"If it were me, I'd spread a plague or something along the lines of slowly killing the human race off. But that's just me," January said shrugging.

"BRILLIANT! We shall create an incurable plague that will slowly yet surely kill every disgusting creature on this dirt ball of a planet!" Zim exclaimed before laughing evilly.

"Yes, yes, that's all good and wonderful. But we need to figure out what we will use to create something that deadly. We would need some chemicals or a virus sample and enhance it or something. And then we need to figure out how to spread something like that without it being traced back to us," the girl said walking away from the Irken and beginning to pace.

"I have plenty of chemicals to work with. We will not be working with germs. And we may be able to spread it through medication and food~" Zim said shrugging.

"Well, that solves that issue. Now what?" January asked looking back at him.

"We begin working, of course! The sooner we strike the more quickly we finish the mission!" he said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. January rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch.

"Well, I'm not good with science-like stuff. So I hardly think I'd be very helpful. So what should I do?" she asked crossing her legs.

"Play with Gir, keep me company, praise me, be my guinea pig, watch TV, what ever you do when you have nothing to do," Zim said waving his hand dismissively.

"So you no longer really need me, huh?" January said, figuring that this partnership was very short lived.

"OF COURSE I DO! You now are Zim's slave! You seem intelligent and you already agree to be my partner. I shall train you to be a… make-shift Irken soldier! That way you can take over if something is to happen to me!" Zim said, sounding like he was just making something up.

"Uh…huh… so basically, I'm just keeping you company. I could do that even if we weren't working together, Zim," the girl said crossing her legs.

"LIES! Starting now you shall be trained to be an Irken Soldier! Or at least as good of one as a huuman can be," the Irken said pointing at the girl.

"Hm… I dunno. I'm not sure I want to be treated like a tool. I prefer being treated as an equal," she said rolling her eyes.

"You have to earn your way up to being Zim's equal!" he said putting his hands on his hips.

"And you need to earn my trust. I'm still shaky on whether or not teaming up with you was a good idea. If you can manage to gain my trust and have me bend to your every whim, then I will surely be more than happy to stand beside you during and after your mission," January said with a slight smile on her face. More or less, she was telling him that he had to make her fall in love with him in order for her to do anything to help him. But that probably wouldn't be too hard considering she already had a crush on him, go figure.

"I will have you do whatever I say, month-child! You will see!" Zim said pointing at the girl.

"It's very rude to point. And we'll see about that," January said getting up and smiling at him.


End file.
